Lots Going On . . . . (Post # 42)

In case you haven't noticed, it's been three weeks since my last posting--the longest pause this year!  That doesn't mean nothing has been happening to The Alfatross.  Quite the opposite.  So much is going on that I had to postpone writing about it until the dust cleared (literally, with respect to the on-going soda soda blasting). 

Still Blasting

I thought I was close to finished with blasting, but then I started rotating the car 360 degrees and seeing all the places I missed!  It's down to detail work now: all the little nooks and crannies that still harbor bits of undercoating, paint, and primer.  It's slow going and now I have to use a simple, low-output suction gun instead of the dedicated soda blaster in order to get into tight spaces.


"I said keep the rubber side down!"  Soda blasting--still at it!

Soda, even when mixed with aluminum oxide doesn't remove undercoating or tarry seam sealer.  That stuff has to be removed chemically.  I brush on paint remover, cover it with aluminum foil to reduce vaporization, and leave it overnight.   It usually comes off easily the next day with a Scotchbrite pad or a paper towel.



Bird's eye view.

Santa Fe Concorso

The Santa Fe Concorso will be held this weekend http://santafeconcorso.com/about.html.  For classic and collector car guys around here it's like Christmas in September.  I volunteered to help out schlepping boxes around and setting up tents for the various vendors and hospitality providers.  With luck I'll meet a variety of restorers, owners, and judges, and pick up some pointers that will be helpful with restoration of The Alfatross.  One of the more than 100 cars on display will be Steve McQueen's Jaguar XKSS.

 

 Driving tours associated with the Santa Fe Concorso start today.  I signed up for a 300-miler to be held tomorrow.  With fingers crossed and an enhanced tool kit for insurance, co-driver Jeff Krammer and I will join the fray in the Alfatross' stablemate, a 1973 Porsche 911E Targa borrowed from my long-suffering better half.  Thanks Toni!    

 

Phoenix Connection

Treated parts are starting to come back from sub-contractors.

I made a trip last week to Phoenix to check on the progress Roger Lorton and DeWayne Samuels have been making on my engine and to take samples of upholstery to John Pollock at Young Guns Designs to see if anything comparable still exists.  I drove my truck to Phoenix this time because I also needed to pick up some antique hard hat diving equipment  my friend Dr. Randy Davis has been accumulating for a museum exhibit we are designing. 

I was relieved to see that considerable progress has been made with the engine, but a lot of problem-solving and careful work still lies ahead.  The first batch of nitrided parts is back, all neatly shrink-wrapped to protective cardboard backings.  Looks like something NASA would do!  The new main studs are in and the main bearings re-measured for out of round.  All were found to be too loose and have been sent out for coatings to bulk them up and reduce friction.  One camshaft will have to be welded up, heat treated, and ground to obtain the proper lobe profiles. The crank will need to be turned, nitrided, and cryrogenic treatment, but that will have to wait until the bearings come back.  We're also going to need new pistons, valve guides, and exhaust valves. 

DeWayne and Roger flow-bench tested the carbs, intake manifold, and head at various valve lifts to determine how well it breathes.  This sort of work is way beyond the usual engine rebuild.  In DeWayne's words "If we just replace worn parts that doesn't fix the problems that got us here in the first place."  We already know the dual downdraft Solex 40 P II carbs are too small for all-out performance, but they're original, so we're keeping them!


Right now they are pondering the grooves milled into all the cam tower bearing surfaces.  Are they factory or some previous owner's idea of a performance improvement?  Roger thinks that they must bleed off a huge amount of oil pressure, perhaps contributing to the lubrication problems seen elsewhere in the engine.  If anyone out there has seen this before and can explain why these grooves exist, I'm sure Roger would like to hear from you!


Pressing on to Young Guns Designs Randy and I met with Tyler Tibbits,  John Pollock and Frank Bennett to discuss bumper fabrication and upholstery for The Alfatross.  While we were there we got to see the 5,000 sq ft addition to their operation and some of Frank's painting artistry.  We came to the conclusion that yes, the interior could be re-upholstered in modern materials very similar to the originals in color, texture, and pattern .

Bookkeeping (Post # 41)

"Bookkeeping" is the only word in the English language I can think of that has three sets of double letters in a row.  Most people misspell it.  I'm going to spell it correctly, but misuse it to talk about two books that have given direction to The Alfatross' restoration.   But first . . . .

Old Business

What to do about bumpers for the Alfatross has been at issue over the last several posts.  It had no rear bumper when I bought it and the front bumper that came with the car is an obviously incorrect, hideous replacement.  The restoration options are (1) delete one or both bumpers for esthetic reasons, (2) design and install "custom" bumpers more to my liking, or (3) determine what the original bumpers probably looked like and fabricate and install exact replicas.   That the Alfatross had bumpers originally is not in doubt because bumper supports are still present in front and attachment points for the rear bumper are visible in the trunk. 

Consulting the Alfa Romeo 1900 Companion (http://www.alfa1900.com/stories2/extant_zagatos/index.html), which has photos of all known 1900 SSZs, I had two important revelations:  First, that while cars that left the Zagato factory probably had bumpers to start with, the vast majority now have no front bumper, and probably no rear bumper, either (most photos just show just the front of the car).   This is probably due to a decision by most restorers to delete one or both bumpers for a cleaner appearance.  Second, that there are two distinctly different types of bumpers that show up in period photos of 1900 Zs.  The most common (with variants) is a thin, blade-like, probably aluminum, strip curving inward and upward at the ends to follow the shape of the horizontal grilles in front with a simpler flat, straight matching rear bumper.

The  front bumper type most commonly seen in period photos. 
Le Zagato.

. . . and the matching  flat, straight blade type rear bumper. 
Le Zagato.

The other bumper type looks more substantial and less like an afterthought.  Sometimes called "mustachios,"these bumpers are split in the middle, both front and rear, wrapping around the corners.  They are seen mostly on cars produced later in the series (late 1955 and '56).  Although these bumpers are more refined and attractive that the more common blade type, they too are frequently absent on restored cars.

Verdict: Authenticity votes for replicating the thin, flat bumpers front and rear for The Alfatross--even though most restorers seem to think the cars look better without them.

 

New Business

I recently bought a copy of  The Stewardship of Historically Important Automobiles edited by Dr. Fred Simeone with contributions by numerous well-known collectors, curators, conservators, auctioneers, and concours event organizers and judges.  The book was compiled to make a simple statement:  It starts with the concept that certain cars transcend individual ownership and should be preserved unmolested for future generations.  I bought the book because I wanted to know if The Alfatross qualifies as an historically important automobile.  On page 19 I found a list of 6 criteria used to determine a car's importance:

1. association with a particular historic event or individuals
2. rarity as a survivor of its type
3. evidence of past design innovation, style, construction techniques, etc.
4. condition and extent of remaining original material
5. political, cultural , or spiritual significance for a particular segment of society
6. exceptional aesthetic qualities of form and decoration

I was already aware that many authorities agree that The Alfatross and its siblings qualify as rare examples of design innovation and aesthetic achievement, with varying degrees of originality, but until I read Michele Marchiano's book, Le Zagato: Fiat Berlinetta 8VZ Alfa Romeo 1900 SSZ. I did not realize that they might also qualify on the basis of the part they played in an historical period involving the dynamic between Fiat and Alfa Romeo, the post-war racing scene in Europe, and the Zagato family.   Most of the following information comes from Marchiano's book, which I have had for 10 years, but never read carefully. 

Fiat "Ottovu" (8V) Zagato

At about the same time that Alfa Romeo began to produce its 1900 series, Fiat introduced the "Ottovu," an 8-cylinder 2-liter (1,996 cc) coupe.  Racers immediately recognized the car's competition potential and created a demand for cars with lighter, more aerodynamic bodies.  Zagato bodied 30 (or possibly up to 46) 8V chassis between 1952 and 1954.  In the right hands they proved to be formidable contenders on closed tracks as well as in road races, and rallies. 


The  Leto di Priolo brothers Fiat 8VZ, driven hard in the 1953 Stella Alpina
event.  Le Zagato.  



The 8Vs engine was an aluminum block, aluminum head 70 degree 2-liter V-8
cranking out 125 hp in its final form--only marginally more that the 1900 SS
4-cylinder engine!  Le Zagato.

One pair of the right  hands belonged to none other than Elio Zagato, son of the founder of  La Carrozzoria Zagato.  Behind the wheel of his 8VZ he was one of the most winning drivers in the under 2-liter class.  The record speaks for itself.  According to Le Zagato, although Alfa 1900 SSZs racked up 18 first-in-class wins and two overall wins in major events between 1954 and 1960, Fiat 8VZs took first-in-class 52 times, overall wins 7 times, and 2-liter championships 5 times!  Elio Zagato accounted for 22 of those class firsts and 3 championships in 8VZs!



The Alfa Romeo "millenove" 1900C SSZ  at speed.  Le Zagato.

So the historical event The Alfatross and its siblings were part of was the rivalry between Alfa Romeo and Fiat that provided the basic hardware and environment for Ugo Zagato and his sons to apply and field test their unique design and construction techniques.  The Alfatross and its siblings may not have won the most races in their day, but  they were worthy opponents.  In the words of Elio Zagato,

"The Alfa Romeo 1900 SSZ, however, was my rival.  It was a car just as outstanding.  It seemed strange "fighting" against it but when I got into a car I became a racing driver and forgot about everything else.  Even so, few cars gave the Ottovu so much competition.  The real winner then was not myself but the person who had built them both: my father."

This Zagato-bodied Fiat 8V was sold at auction in 2012 for $750,000.  Viewed
from the side the car bears a striking resemblance to Zagato-bodied Alfa
1900C SS cars like The Alfatross.  Sports Car Market.

This photo encapsulates the long mid-'50s duel between the Fiat 8VZ and the
Alfa 1900Z; even though the 8V spun out in this 6-hour event, it went on to
win the race!  Le Zagato.